I think I should have bought an oval soundhole mandolin. I got the F hole shape instrument. Purchased an Eastman 505 from the Mandolin store by mail
I think I should have bought an oval soundhole mandolin. I got the F hole shape instrument. Purchased an Eastman 505 from the Mandolin store by mail
Eastman MD-305 Left Handed Version
Pick....Dunlop JD Jazz Tone 207 (for today anyway)
67.4 % of all statistics are made up !
Keep it, play it and in your mandolin journey you will add to your mandolin inventory ! What genre of music do you play or will you play ?
Don't worry too much about it. When I got restarted on mandolin, really wanted the oval hole sound. Now, a couple of years later, most of my playing is on f hole instruments. Still love the oval hole, but it just doesn't work best in any of my bands at present.
Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Flatiron 1N, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
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Ultimately, you are likely to want multiple voices in your arsenal. Keep it, play it, enjoy it. When you have gained some experience, re-evaluate your needs. Then you may want to add instruments to get those additional voices. It's good to have an f-hole, an oval-hole, a flat-top. . .(on it goes).
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If you bought the mandolin within the past few days, you may be able to return it, and exchange it for an oval. As Don said in post #2, call Dennis . . . he is very easy to work with.
Otherwise, enjoy it until you either sell the 505 or purchase an additional oval for your arsenal; (you never know when you may need/want different sounds, and having one of each mandolin will be helpful).
let your ears get used to it.
f-d
‘papα gordo aint no madre flaca!
'20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A
It seems counter intuitive but for me the Fstyle is actually the most versatile. If you're not that opposed, I'd keep it and play it and get used to the tone to see how it can be used. If you're pretty sure about the oval, just send it back for an exchange. You'll loose shipping charges but I'm sure they would take it back for exchange plus any cost difference. Or they'll even credit you toward that Gibson or Ellis that you know you need and all of a sudden you have a store credit.
No matter where I go, there I am...Unless I'm running a little late.
You can play any style of music on any mandolin. Furthermore, if you ever get to the point to where you are playing live, the audience doesn't care what kind of mandolin you have. I agree with most of the replies above, just play and enjoy what you have.
A quarter tone flat and a half a beat behind.
Plus, it's easier to get "round-holeish" tone out of f-holes, by playing more toward the center of the string, than it is to get a cutting, percussive tone out of round-holes, where playing closer to the bridge has more limits on tone & volume. In short, many consider f-holes to be more versatile, even those of us who really like the round-hole sound.
Remember that the primary determinator of tone is the fingers of the player!
- Ed
"Then one day we weren't as young as before
Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
- Ian Tyson
I am with the people that suggested you keep it. I have both oval hole and F hole instruments in my collection. Some music need the tone of one and some the other. If you truly find yourself leaning to one or the other after a few years of study make that your choice when you trade up. Also, if you just must, Dennis at The Mandolin store may have a good condition used oval he can swap you even. You will never know if you don't ask. R/
I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...
Based on past posts, it looks like you're outside the 48 hour approval period The Mandolin Store offers. I suppose you can always ask for an exception. But I'd bet the reason you're not getting the sound you expected out of the instrument is more due to technique than hole shape, especially given that you're only a week or so into playing the mandolin (if I read things accurately).
I have an MD515. It is extremely sensitive to changes in pic shape, pic density, pic material, fretting technique, string make/material, and to how much the back is covered up. If I tried, I could make it sound thin and cheap. Haha.
With the necessary practice, you can get the sound you crave from the 505. Play it hard. Open the instrument up. Good luck and don't "fret" about making the wrong choice at this stage.
If this is your first mandolin, it really only matters that it is set up properly. What I found out with my 505 was that after I could play a few fiddle tunes, it was not the type but the quality I found lacking. Mainly it was the richness in the G string. I agree with the posters above. Play your mandolin for a while. Experiment with different strings.
Over time you will find what ultimately will work for you. In my case, and I suspect many others, I found an appreciation for all kinds. I never really liked the Collings oval sound, until after a long while, I picked one off the rack and tried it. Darn, another mandolin I want.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
Try picking the strings at at around the 15th fret. Many new players don't realize how sweet a mandolin can sound if they move out of the "parking lot" zone of picking right next to the bridge.
You need the latest innovation from Shmergel Mandolins:
The Stealth(TM) Soundhole-Switcher!
The Stealth(TM) has BOTH an oval soundhole and F holes, plus an innovative pair of precision-carved, servo-controlled HoleCaps(TM) that neatly fit together to cover the oval hole, or rotate apart to cover both F holes. Click the hidden button and instantly transform your Stealth(TM) oval-hole mandolin into an F-hole mandolin, and back again!
The Stealth(TM) also features other Shmergel innovations, like the Action Jackson(TM) self-adjusting truss rod — never let your neck get out of whack again! — and our exclusive Extrude-A-String system! Break a string and don't have a replacement handy? Never fear! Just stick a quarter in the convenient coin slot on the bass side of the mandolin, and Extrude-A-string will melt it down and create a new string for you on the spot. Attach that string and bring it up to pitch with the automated PerfectTune(TM) system.
How much, you ask, for this wonder of a mandolin that does everything but play itself (unless, of course, you purchase one of our optional MusicBox(TM) packages, with 250 pre-programmed popular tunes in the style of your choice—Bluegrass, Italian, Folk, Country, and Pretentious Alternative Rock—for $1,399)? ONLY $8,651 ($8,700 with hardshell case).
Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.
Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!
Lyon & Healy Wood Thormahlen Andersen Bacorn Yanuziello Fender National Gibson Franke Fuchs Aceto Three Hungry Pit Bulls
Well, if you did, at least you're quite close to your target.
I'm afraid I feel on the verge of doing something crazy and buying a banjo. Either that or a synth. These are desperate times. I feel like I'm about to buy the wrong instrument..
Maybe it's a counterfeit Shmergel!
Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.
Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!
Lyon & Healy Wood Thormahlen Andersen Bacorn Yanuziello Fender National Gibson Franke Fuchs Aceto Three Hungry Pit Bulls
N+1 is always the answer .. get another mandolin.
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
I started with an oval-hole Gibson A-1 -- because that's what I found in my grandfather's attic. Since I was playing bluegrass (not well) at the time, I felt I needed an f-hole mandolin with a scroll, like Bill's. I went halfway, getting an F-2 -- scroll, but still oval-hole. Then an F-5, and I was "set."
About a dozen mandolins, mandolas, octave mandolins, mandocelli, and finally a mando-bass later, I realized: it don't matter where ya start, ya end up in the same place, with a gaggle of varied mandolins. That MD505 is just Step #1.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
One has absolutely no right to even mention the Shmergel to a newbie, much less the Stealth. Shame on you. He has probably been here long enough to realize the chances are slim of owning a Loar, and there you go mentioning the Shmergal, and adding salt to the wound with the Stealth, affectionately called the holerchanger. Show some mercy why don't you.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
Theres already a lot of great advice here. Before I make any assumptions, what makes you think you should have bought an oval hole?
It seems that you all may have scared off our poor OP - Minstrelle… you there..?
or perhaps he doesn't live on the Cafι like some of you (us)…
Thank you everyone. Yes I'm here and appreciate all your help. I was busy practicing before LOL.
The consensus seems to be that I should stay with what I have, it is after all a lovely instrument. I am a she, not a he by the way!
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